Haunted
by itsoriginal17
Summary: After the death of Lily & James on that fateful Halloween night, Severus finds himself haunted by his memories, but maybe he can get better with the help of Harry & his 16 year old cousin... Can Severus let them help, can he risk loving again? Currently hiatus, sorry!
1. Death Awaits No Man or Woman

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter because if I did I certainly wouldn't be a teenage girl living in Less Economically Developed Country.**

She ran through the rumbles, coughing all the way. Her asthma made her breathing hard enough and the dust and mess around her were not helping. Still she kept on going, the thought of her cousins being dead or in immediate danger fueled her exhausted muscles. The thought of them brought to her mind the recent memory of a dead James Potter in the lower floor. This just worried her farther, not that she cared for James Potter for he had been a jerk to her all along, no that was not it, it was the fact that him being dead meant that must surely her cousins were dead as well. She kept running until she reached the nursery door, she threw it open and stepped in. The sight before her made her cry, there in the middle of the rumble was her favorite cousin, Lily Potter nee Evans, being hugged tightly by none other than her former best friend, Severus Snape. Seeing the broken man hug her cousin to life made her tears turn into sobs and she soon succumbed to her weakening legs as she fell upon the floor crying over Lily's corpse.

They sat like that for what could have been hours in some sort of trance, both of them mourning a loved one, when suddenly she heard a wail. It took her awhile to refocus her mind but soon enough she recognized the wail of none other than her cousin, Harry James Potter, who was mercilessly crying. She slowly got up and went to the crib and upon seeing her cousin alive and safe she started crying again as she picked him up and held unto him for dear life. Baby Harry quieted down almost immediately at the familiar touch and soon fell back to sleep in her arms. She rocked him softly while she looked around the room waiting for Severus to finish his mourning so that the three of them could leave such a horrible place for she certainly was not leaving alone the man that once used to be her cousin's best friend.

Her inner ramblings were suddenly stooped by the noise of footsteps and voices getting nearer. She grabbed baby Harry even tighter and moved across the room to where Severus was. She placed her hand on his right shoulder before whispering softly one single word, "Home."

A bright golden light could be seen coming out of the nursery window.

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><p>Albus Dumbledore was a very wise, strategic, and peaceful old man who could keep his calm in the worst of situations, at least that's what he and everyone else had thought before the news came.<p>

He had been enjoying the Halloween fest at Hogwarts when suddenly a Patronus appeared. The patronus in itself was not alarming but the news it carried were. The Potters had been discovered and attacked by Voldemort and Godric's Hollow was now in pieces.

As soon as he had heard the news he had rushed out of the run living a worried Minerva in his haste. He had ran out of Hogwarts as fast as he could just before dis-apparating himself into Godric's Hollow. As soon as he arrived he saw the mass destruction done to the house and was quickly loosing all hope.

He ran to the front of the house where he met Moody, he immediately asked, "Have you seen them? Are they alive?"

Moody shocked his had as they both walked inside and said, "We wanted to wait for you."

Albus could only nod his head.

The walked through the first floor and found a dead James Potter near the hallway that led to the stairs. The immediately walked up the stairs in hope of finding either Lily or Harry alive. They searched everyone before entering the nursery at the end of the hall. Slowly and with a sense of foreboding they opened the door. The both stepped and found the room empty, except for the dead body of Lily Potter nee Evans.

That night something inside Albus Dumbledore snapped and after this terrible Halloween night everyone who saw him could attest that the eyes in the old man stopped their incessant twinkle, for on that very Halloween night Albus Dumbledore swore revenge on Sirius Black and Tom Riddle.

_**Please, pretty please with a cherry on top, please review, I promise that if you do so I will update as soon as I can.**_


	2. An Unsettling Course of Events

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Harry Potter because if I did I certainly wouldn't be a teenage girl living in Less Economically Developed Country.**

Severus Snape felt impossible emotional. His body, mind, heart, and soul were overpowered by a mixture of emotions, feelings, and sensations. He felt weak and tired, as well as dizzy, overwhelmed, and heart-broken. He could control his reactions and so when he felt a small hand grip around his shoulder his first response had been to stand up, what a terrible idea. You see what Severus had not expected was to be suddenly portkeyed to who knows where.

As soon as they had reached their destination, Severus found himself short of breath and started gasping. The events of the day, or rather night, were catching up to him, his body feeling the toll of what all of this implied. Suddenly Severus felt a small hand inside his, as the owner started leading the way to what appeared to be a very large and sophisticated kitchen. Severus felt himself relax involuntarily, for there were no signs of an immediate threat. Soon enough he found himself sitting in a stool next to the island table in the kitchen, a glass of water was presented to him. Abandoning all decorum and weariness he drank it all down almost fervently. He than turned to watch whomever had brought him here and the sight before him took him by surprise.

There, right in front of him was a teenage girl cradling a baby. For some unknown reason this girl seemed familiar, as if he had ever meet such a girl, one with rich brown curls and beautiful hazel eyes. He knew he could not know her, for he knew no girls with hazel eyes like hers, and yet her heart-shaped face, her tall and lean figure all seemed familiar. And the baby, the baby did too. The messy mutt of raven hair, the emerald eyes, the heart shaped face... No, it could not be he told himself, they had all died, and yet here he was, starring at none other than Harry James Potter.

Severus' mind was in overdrive now, so many questions that needed answers: How come Harry is alive? What the hell happened?... and Who is this girl? What gives her a right to take Harry away?

Severus was not only surprised by the situation but also by how worried he felt towards the baby... Was it because he looked so much like Lily?... but before Severus could finish his musings the sound of the front door opening interrupted his thoughts.

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><p>She tried her best to keep her cool in the situation, but it was proving to be an unfathomable feat. So she did the only thing she could do, she closed off all thought and acted upon instinct. Seeing Severus she reached for his hand and guided him into the kitchen where she sat him down and gave him some water to relax him. She also made sure that Harry was still fast asleep before figuring what to do next and decided she needed to speak with her parents. Knowing it was a Sunday night, she knew they were out eating with the family and so she decided to send her father a patronus. As soon as this was done she felt herself relax.<p>

Minutes passed, feeling like hours and than they came.

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><p>She could not stop the relieved smile on her face when she saw her parents enter the house. She greeted them both in their native tongues and then handed Harry to the women who immediately took to the stairs whispering words of love and lament to the poor child,<p>

*"Oh pobre bebe, pero no te preocupes que ya todo va ha estar mejor!"

As soon as she made sure they were gone she looked at her father with apprehension in her face. She did not know what to do next and the truth was she was worried. Her father's reaction was unexpected, but it was as if he understood, and so he hugged her tight, making her feel like a child again.

"Papi, I am very frightened," she whispered as the tears started rolling again.

Her father simply smiled sadly and held her tightly. She buried her face in his chest for a few minutes before composing herself and starting her explanation. As they did this they walked into the kitchen where her father started preparing some hot chocolate for himself and his daughter when he suddenly saw Severus, who in his trance-like state had barely registered anything and would must probably have no recollections of most of these events, slumping in a corner.

"Why, my boy, I had not seen you there, would you like some hot chocolate?" he asked with a slight twinkle in his hazel eyes, eyes the exact same color of his daugther.

Severus was taken aback and simply shook his head, he wasn't a fan of anything sweet, especially chocolate.

The older man smiled softly before nodding and turning to his daughter, "Princesa, why don't you take this young man to his room and come back here so as we can finish our conversation," he finished nodding his head towards Severus.

She simply answered, **"Claro papi," she moved towards the dark hallway whispering a Lumos to light it up and not looking back, simply expecting Severus to follow.

The older man turned to Severus with a serious expression on his face and saying, "Tomorrow we will talk and I trust that you will not try anything funny while staying here," the sternness of the older man made him eagerly nod, "Very well, good night Severus," he finished, the twinkle returning to its rightful place, his hazel eyes.

Severus starred in shock, not knowing how to respond so he instinctively followed behind the girl. They had soon reached a small room with Quidditch posters lined up on the walls. He was about to ask who this room belonged to when the door closed behind him and he was left alone. He sighed and sat on the bed thinking about the strange events that seemed to be passing by...

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><p>That night he laid in a stranger's bed, in a stranger's house listening to conversations in foreign languages... hours later when he finally fell asleep, when the dawn was almost breaking... he dreamt of a small girl of ten with beautiful hazel eyes and a man of the same eyes, eyes that twinkled.<p>

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><p>*oh poor baby, but don't worry everything will get better now<p>

**of course

_**Please, pretty please with a cherry on top, please review, I promise that if you do so I will update as soon as I can.**_


	3. Meeting the Family

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Harry Potter characters, I just took a loan on them. (I am sure Sev isn't happy about *shrugs* but oh well)**

**Also I changed a lot of things and this is a repeat of the thirdd chapter, but I hope it is better, because my thirst version wasn't worthy of you, my readers. Sorry it took so long, but I am already working on the next few chapters.**

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_Crash! _Severus suddenly woke up, looking around confused and searching for the source of the sound. He grabbed his wand tightly as he searched. He didn't find anything, he stared in bewilderment at the unfamiliar room. It was an average room with a queen sized bed which was quite comfortable, the sheets in said bed were a combination of green and blue, the walls of the room were were of a baby blue, and the furniture was all of a dark mohagony.

He then decided to look outside of the room to try and find the source of the sound. As he got closer to the door he heard voices quarreling in what seemed to be a foreign language. This worried him, for he did not were he was, nor how far away from home he was.

He slowly opened the door and looked outside through it. There in the hall, in front of him, was the source of the sound. Laid on the floor were two small, mangled bodies trying to free themselves from the tangled mess and next to them was a broken vase beside a toppled table.

He heard them hissing at each other.

"Sierra, esto es tu culpa, tenías que quitarme mi liston!*" Said one of the girls to the other.

"No esto es tu culpa, vos me empujaste, Camila,**" the other answered.

The girls had untangled themselves by this point and their hissing turned into yelling. An opening door was heard and footsteps approached the hallway. Hastily the girls fled the scene, blonde hair trailing behind.

Even though he was astonished and slightly worried Severus thought it best to fix the vase and to return to his room as soon as possible.

He took out his wand and pronounced softly, "Reparo."

The vase repaired itself and he turned around, entering the room, just to be stop by her voice.

"Curious," he heard her, the girl who had brought him here yesterday, speak. He turned around surprised and stared.

The girl looked at him trying to read his face. His eyes traveled up and down looking at her body. She seemed much younger and yet so much older. He took in her outfit, her long sleeved, gray, v-neck shirt with a white spaghetti-strap shirt under it covering her cleavage. She also had a black, pleated skirt that reached just below her mid-thigh. Her feet were covered with long, gray, almost knee high socks. A pair of black, non-shiny leather boots covered her socks. This school girl type outfit made her look young and very much the teenager she was, but her face look so weary and there were bags under her eyes which gave the appearance of someone older and wiser.

His gaze the girl feel uncomfortable as she shifted nervously under it. She knew he was checking her out, it wasn't the first time this had happened, but it didn't happen often. You see she wasn't skinny, nor was she fat really, rather she was between a 6 and an 8 in size, but since she wasn't necessarily pretty either and being a member of a school full of girls who were much prettier and always got the attention of the of the boys in the towns they visited, whether the town was muggle or magical it had never mattered, were always attracted to them first, causing her self-esteem to be quite low. Also there was the fact that this was the first grown man that was actually attracted to her body, and he wasn't any man, no he was Lily's Sev.

Severus suddenly caught himself, blushing slightly at his blatant appreciation of her body, and cleared his throat asking, "What is curious?"

The girl quickly composed herself and said, "Well I was wondering why you would help them, you know, it is not your fault that they are such annoying munchkins," she finished giggling at the nickname, which was an old allusion.

Severus stared at her with confusion in his face and suddenly her face dropped. He didn't remember, how could he not remember. She felt tears fill her eyes and she voiced her thoughts, whispering, "You don't remember," as a pout formed on her lips.

Her pose and words took Severus to a different place. Suddenly he was younger and in front of him was a little girl with the same eyes, hair, and pout, pronouncing similar words as she stomped her right foot and crossed her arms indignatedly. And just like that the flash of the memory disappeared as quickly as it came and he shook his head to clear it.

The girl seemed saddened, but just as determined as before. She looked up at Severus, catching his onyx eyes in the gaze of her hazel ones and stretching her hand in front of her she said, "My name is Eloise, Eloise Knighte."

Severus looked slightly surprised and still feeling confused about the whole situation, her odd words and behavior, and his memories, but decided to just go with it (surprising himself, with this uncharacteristic behavior, yet a part of him felt comfortable, as if the whole situation was familiar), shaking her hand and saying, "I am Severus Snape pleased to meet you."

Eloise smiled and then looked down, shifting slightly as she decided how to act next.

"Look Severus, I am sorry about everything, that happened yesterday, you know, Lily's death and well this situation, and I know you may be confused, but well, let's just say you will know everything in due time," she said deciding to break the news little by little.

Severus felt another flash overpower him. This time, instead of a little girl, he was looking at what seemed to be a preteen. Her hair and eyes were the same as the little girl's, the same as Eloise's. She stood there, in front of him, wearing a dark dress, her hair down, curls bouncing, just like Eloise wore it. She looked at him, hesitantly, her pained eyes staring at him, as she whispered and apology, "I'm sorry, Sev." He shook his head, bidding the memory to go away.

Eloise looked, at him worried and asked, "Are you okay, Sev?"

Severus nodded, not even acknowledging her slip of a tongue, in his trance-like state.

"Eloise!" a contralto called through the halls.

Eloise sighed, she wasn't in a mood for breakfast, yet she reached her hand to grab Severus' so she could guide him to the breakfast hall.

Severus didn't even feel the smaller, warm hand in his own.

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Eloise felt worried as she guided Severus into the breakfast hall. She didn't know what had, was, and would happen when it was concerning to him. She would have to discuss this with her father.

She went through the various halls and down the various stairs until she reached the hall. There she sat down Severus in a chair between Sierra and Camila and then made her way to the study, knowing that her father would undoubtedly be there.

She opened the door to the study without even knocking and stared at her father who was very much entertained in his reading.

"Papa," she said softly, yet loud enough to gain his attention.

"Oh, Lois, dear, is something wrong?" The man asked raising his gaze to look at his daughter who gives an apprehensive nod in response and sits down in the chair in front of the desk.

"What is it my little Lois Lane?"

Eloise could not retain the giggle at her father's nickname for her person, but the mirth the nickname brought was gone as quickly as it came.

"Daddy, he doesn't remember me," Eloise told him sadly.

The man frowned, this would complicate things. How were they supposed to fix this and trust on the young man at the same time?

Eloise decided to leave her father alone with his inner ramblings.

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As Eloise made her way to the breakfast hall she encountered her brother on his way there.

"Dmitri," she hissed and grabbed him keeping him out of the hall's view.

"What is wrong with you? I was on my way to talk with Severus," Dmitri said shocked.

Eloise sighed and began explaining.

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Severus felt himself lose his last ounce of sanity, and it was a slow and painful process. You see his current seating arrangement positioned him in between the two girls who had before been the cause of his wakening and well it was a position he wouldn't wish his worse enemy. He was caught up in the middle of sisterly plight between two preteen and very temperamental girls. The fact that he did not know the girls made the situation even more uncomfotable.

Feeling his patience and sanity leave him Severus decided to practice his Occlumency by ignoring their words and observing the room he found himself in. It was a small, elegant room, with a dining table which could seat up to eight people. The walls were painted in beige, cream, and off-white and had a Regency look to them. One of the walls, the one to Severus' left had a large, rosewood door that lead to the hallway. The wall parallel to this one had an inmense window, covering 3/4 of the wall, through which the beautiful gardens and grounds could be seen.

Lost in his observations Severus did not hear the people coming in until he heard the chairs beside him scrapping as the girls stood up. Not knowing what to do, Severus turned to look at the door and saw what seemed to be the owner of the place he was currently residing, Eloise's father. He came in escorting a blonde women with shinning blue eyes who seemed to be in her late thirties. The older man headed to the head of the table near the window, the woman stood at his right. Behind them came Eloise and a young man Severus couldn't recognize. The young man lead Eloise to her father's left and Severus right where one of the blonde girls stood.

The older man cleared his throat and said, "Camila, you now that is Eloise's seat."

Severus turned to look at the girl as she in turn looked at Eloise with darkened blue eyes, much like the expression the woman was wearing in her face, but moved obediently to the other side of the table sitting opposite to her, also fair-haired, sister.

The young man went to stand at the opposite end. Eloise smiled down at him and motioned for him to stand up, he did so cautiously.

"Severus, let me introduce my father to you, who I believe you remember from last night," she motioned to her father who nodded back at them, Severus could barely recollect seeing the older man the night before but nodded likewise, "This is my father, Johann Knighte, father this is Severus Snape, Lily's friend, right?" She asked looking at Severus, who nodded solemnly.

"A pleasure seeing you again, young man, I hope the accommodations have been up to your standards," Johann said with a knowing smile, yet his eyes weren't quite smiling, in fact they looked sad and disappointed much to Severus' surprise.

"Why yes, sir, the room was quite agreeable," Sev answered humbly after getting over his shock.

"Good I am glad, now let me present to you the rest of my family, would that be agreeable," Johann asked and Severus answered that it was, "Very well, to my right is my wife, Marianela, who I believe you recall from last night," she interrupted him to greet Severus personally and he answered likewise, "to your left is my youngest daughter, Sierra," she also greeted him and he responded back, "to her side is my heir and eldest son, Dmitri," the usual introductions passed between them, "to his left is my second youngest daughter and middle child, Camila," she politely smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "and of course you now my eldest daughter and second eldest, Eloise," Severus answered that he did, "I most also inform you that my youngest is currently indisposed," and with that the introductions were finished and after a small prayer was made by the family they all sat down.

A couple of young women enterd through a small side door wearing a maid uniform and carrying the different breakfast dishes which filled the table after a few rounds, bringing food in.

Severus looked surprised at this. He knew for a fact that at least both Eloise and Johann, her father, were magical snd yet they had muggles working for them?

Eloise saw his shock and confusion and whispered sweetly in his ears, "Sev, don't worry, I know you are very confused but I promise to explain it all later, anything you want to know I promise, now it please," she finished with a little nudge.

This time Severus noticed her slip of a tongue and became even more confused, espicially by the sudden pang of guilt and regret that had started to stir inside his being.

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*Sierra this is all your fault, you just had to take my ribbon away!

**No, this is your fault, you pushed me, Camila!

_**Please R&R!**_


	4. Haunting Memories

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters; JK Rowling is just kind enough to lend them to me for a while. (I am sure Sev isn't happy about it *shrugs* but oh well) **

**AN: I'm sorry that I took so long to update *smiles sheepishly***

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Eloise Knighte stared at her breakfast. She wasn't much of a morning eater and even if porridge (mixed with cinnamon, brown sugar, and slices of banana and strawberry) was one of her favorites, she felt like she couldn't stomach anything today.

She looked around the table, seeing the huge breakfast buffet that was served when they had guests like today, and was making her feel nauseated, and saw everyone eating, with the exception of Severus and herself.

Eloise looked at her porridge again and started playing with it, moving her spoon all around it. She didn't want to eat anything and she couldn't help, but wonder why Severus wasn't eating his own portridge, which, she had made sure, was prepared just like he liked it: with brown sugar and banana slices. She decided to try and make him eat.

"Severus, how come you aren't eating? I made sure it was prepared the way you liked," she leaned towards him and whispered.

Severus simply frowned, for he did not know how she knew how he liked it and the porridge brought up memories of many a meal spent eating at the Evans' household, memories he wished to forget at the given moment.

"You haven't touched your meal either," he hissed at her, in an attempt to get her off his back and to be able to try and forget.

Eloise, for her part, almost jumped out of her seat, his words, said in such a harsh tone had startled her out of her thoughts and looking at her porridge she tried to eat some of it, only managing a couple of spoonfuls before giving up on seemingly impossible task.

Meanwhile, Severus Snape found himself immersed in his thoughts for the remainder of the meal. He was trying his best to comprehend the situation at hand. It was all the confusing and the past events had happened so fast that they had practically marred together. The sound of a chair scrapping beside him got him out of his reverie. He turned to his right and saw Eloise stand up, mutter an apology as she asked for permission to leave, and move out of the room at a hastened pace. He couldn't help it as his gaze followed her as she left the room, before his eyes returned to stare at his plate and noting out of the corner of these that she had after all attempted to eat without success. It wasn't long before he excused himself.

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Having left the breakfast hall, Severus found himself lost. The house, or rather manor (or maybe it was a mansion, he wasn't sure), was filled with endless hallways that seemed like a labyrinth to the new resident with the currently baffled mind. Standing in an intersection between hallways with no end in mind and remembering the words of the Cheshire cat, a character from one of his favorite childhood books, he decides on a hallway, allowing his legs to guide him so that his body wanders as his mind.

Aimlessly walking leads to a noise amongst the otherwise silent halls and intrigued he follows. The noise turns into a soft hum that leads him to a room, and robes billowing behind, he continues to follow. He nears a room, the door is slightly ajar, sound comes out of it. The humming turns into a song, lyrics flow in the air, a lullaby.

He feels himself draw nearer, his mind surprisingly blank, the music engulfed him. Suddenly, he remembers something in the back of his mind, something Albus once said when he was a student, something about how music is a magic of its own, and for a moment... he believes it so. Slowly, without his control, he opens the door and walks in. Inside he watches Eloise sing the sweet and melancholic lullaby, a child is in her arms, the words fill the air...

"Dancing beard, painted wings

Things I almost remember,

And a song, someone sings

Once upon a December..."

The tune and words sound familiar, he observes the pair. She spins around the room, swaying the child in her arms, the melody continues. She turns and he sees the child's bright green eyes and it all makes sense,... the sorrow, the memories, everything comes back... And he runs out of the room like the coward he believes himself to be.

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_**Please read and review!**_


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